Bargains
by Rainfelt aka Phoe-chan
Summary: Forensic Pathologist Kaoru Kamiya has been haunted by a strange entity she has come to call Death, and now it has trapped her in an equally strange bargain: a date. From there things only get stranger, as she discovers that absolutely nothing is as it seems... Supernatural AU.
1. Introduction

**AN: **_I am not sure where this came from, but it is keeping me from being able to focus on my textbook reading, so I am writing it to get it out of my head. Yes, yes. I am bizarre. _

**Warnings:** Kenshin is a bit out of character here in the prologue. Everything is explained in the next part, so don't let this set-up determine the rest of the story for you.

**_**I have been coerced into continuing this as a multi-chapter story.**_**

_Bargains_

**XX**

It was one of those awkward things that whenever Kaoru told someone she worked in forensics, they automatically pictured her face cropped into a scene from CSI: Insert City Here. She now understood why so many medical students she knew in grad school got so disgruntled about all the medical show references.

Most of the time, her job involved a lot of measurements, paperwork, and writing in passive voice. And much of that time was spent alone, and often it was late at night.

Tonight was another such night.

She sighed, hair pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head. The good thing about working with skeletal material was that it smelled much better. Honestly, old bones reminded her of a dog kennel. These bones had been around for a little while, and in contrast to one of the cases she was on last week, it was a nice change of pace.

It had taken only a little bit of time to articulate the skeletal remains. The smaller bones, like the phalanges and the carpals had not been recovered, and that was pretty common. Vermin and scavengers often made off with those littler bits during decay.

Once everything was in place, she sat down on her stool, laying her tools out in front of her. Already she had made a handful of broad assessments from her first glance-over of the remains, and she made a face.

This person had been an abuse victim, she was certain. Those cases always did make her sad.

Grabbing her spreading calipers, she began to measure points on the cranium. She did not notice the clock turn to 11:11 PM.

"Oooh. That's an old one."

Kaoru exhaled softly, ignoring the voice in favor of finishing her measurement. It was only after she had written down the numbers that she looked up behind her.

He sat casually on the window seal, half of his body on the inside of the window, the other half on the outside, with the glass dividing his semi-transparent form. Bright gold eyes watched her curiously, framed by fiery red hair that seemed to not know what to do with itself.

"Really," Kaoru said, feigning interest in his input. "How old?"

He grinned, showing off sharp teeth. "No fun in telling you that. It's much more satisfying watching you solve one of my puzzles."

"They're not your puzzles. They're people," Kaoru replied in a manner that suggested they had had this exchange before. Multiple times.

"Not anymore," The entity replied cheerfully. "The idea of 'people' is so... transient. Subjective. ...Fickle."

Kaoru rolled her eyes, not taking his bait. Turning her back to him, she began to assess the skull, gloved fingers running over the features. There was little prognathism in the mandible, and a lack of an occipital crest suggested female...

"Oh, not rising to the bait?" The voice was beside her now, and Kaoru refused to give him the attention he wanted, pressing her lips in a thin line. Hm, were those striations in the tooth enamel or just staining from being outside...?

Beside her, the ghastly entity frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. His clothes were as transparent as the rest of him, blue jeans and a wrinkled, button down shirt in what might have been washed-out gray if he were in full manifestation. It was hard to tell. His hair waved about him like red tendrils of smoke, the tips fading away into nothing. He glanced around, like a child with no attention span, before moving around to the opposite side of the table.

Kaoru pointedly ignored him as he bent down to observe the remains on the table. "Oh, oh. I do remember this one for sure. She did not go quickly. Strong-willed was not a trait that suited her. Only made her suffer more."

So it was female. She would still go through the rest of the sexing techniques, but it was nice to have that affirmation. It was also only through conditioning that she did not think about what he was actually saying, either. "You're being very obnoxious tonight, Death."

"Tut, tut," The entity replied, baring his teeth at her again in a hyena's smile. "I am being helpful. You should learn the difference."

"You have not told me anything I either did not already know, or have an actual use for. Try harder," She quipped, grabbing her sliding calipers.

He frowned, straightening back up. "Fine. She was strangled."

Kaoru's eyes fell to the neck area. The hyoid bone had not been recovered, although that was not too uncommon due to its size. However, without it, it would be hard to argue that case in a report. It was the only bone that could sustain damage from strangulation. And putting that idea out there without evidence was a bad idea. "Need something with evidence."

"Ooh, like this?" Her eyes almost crossed when ghostly fingers shoved something right in front of her nose. She stared at the bone, recognizing it as the hyoid, and also noting the crack running through it.

Just the evidence she would need.

She reached up to pluck it out of his fingers when he jumped back, grinning. "What do I get in return?"

Of course. He never truly gave help without a price. Though, she was certain that all the old sayings about making deals with death did not involve situations like these. After a prolonged silence where he stared at her expectantly, she finally sighed, crossing her arms over her lab coat. "What do you want?"

The grin that spread across his features was very vulpine in nature, and she could have sworn his teeth looked even sharper than normal. "A date."

"I...what?" Kaoru stared hard at him, clearly not expecting such a request. The usual request involved her soul, did it not?

Bright eyes watched her like a predator, and the piece of evidence she needed dangled from one of his fingers. Was that little bit really worth dealing with this creature she had come to know as Death himself? She could always leave the report inconclusive, or perhaps might find evidence otherwise to support the cause of death...

And yet, the scientist in her, the explorer in her was curious. She knew very little about this creature that habitually showed up to watch her work, that dropped hints and clues about her cases, that seemed to be so fascinated with her work...

Arching a brow, she pinned him with a look. "Just one date?"

"Just one," He echoed, his expression softening into something a little less chaotic.

"Fine. Deal," Kaoru sighed, offering her hand out. The creature known as Death grinned again, giddy like a child. Leaning over the table, he placed the bone in her hand, and cool tingles spread up her arm where his fingers ghosted through hers. It would be an awkward date if he could not actually touch her.

Actually, wait, that might be better. After all, if he were a real person, he would be a creep. A very pretty creep, though.

Focusing her thoughts, she eyed the bone now in her gloved palm. The fracture was definitely like she would expect to see in a strangulation victim. Amazing it had not been destroyed...

Her eyes narrowed.

"Where was this when the recovery team found the remains?"

Death had preoccupied himself with staring at the screen saver on her computer, and at her prompt, slowly tipped his head to back look at her, doing so in a way that was unnatural and impossible until he was staring at her upside down. Slowly, he smiled.

She glared at him, "You hid the bone, didn't you?"

His eyes crinkled at the corners, sharp teeth glittering in under the fluorescent light. He made no effort to turn around and look at her naturally. "It's more fun this way."

"You manipulated the case to get me to agree to a date with you," Kaoru stated flatly. "Are you that desperate?"

He laughed. "Opportunistic."

"Why me?"

His response was to shrug and roll his head back into the position it naturally should have been in. "That would require another deal."

"Hell no." Was Kaoru's immediate response.

Laughter, again, was his. "We'll see."

Scowling, Kaoru turned her attention back to her case, tagging the new bone and moving on with the rest of her assessment. She had just reached for her pencil when tingles spread out from her neck down her spine, and she shivered, jumping. Whipping her head up, she glared at Death who stood behind her, his fingers ghosting—quite literally—along her neck. Grinning, he pulled his hand away. "Saturday, 6 PM. I know you're free then."

"What, are you stalking me?" She could not shake the lingering sensation away, as much as she tried.

"Maybe." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'll pick you up."

She arched a brow, but he offered no more. Amusement still on his features, he glanced at the clock. "Ah, I overstayed my welcome. I'll see you Saturday, Kaoru."

She paused at that. He rarely called her by her real name, despite it being on her nametag. "Hey... what do you want me to call you? I can't just call you Death while we're out."

Pausing at the window, one foot stuck through it, he turned back to look at her with a thoughtful expression. "Oh... Kenshin is fine."

And with that, he walked through the window into the night.

If that was not creepy enough, the reminder that Kaoru's lab was on the eighth story certainly was.

Staring at the window, Kaoru tested his name out on her lips.

"Kenshin."

**XX**

**AN: **_Yeah, I write strange things. Hopefully I did not throw too much jargon out there that it subtracts from the story. I can get carried away sometimes. I have some ideas where I might take this, but I'm leaving it alone for now as I have other things to work on. I just could not get this idea out of my head this evening._

_Thoughts? _

_-Rainfelt_


	2. Chapter 1 - A Date With

**AN: **_I'm godawful. I have a ton of other stories I should be working on, and yet I find myself either returning to this or Remnants. Sortiarius is sulking in a corner, because every time I get a paragraph in, I get stuck. Stupid Yahiko._

_I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest this little one-shot garnered. I was not expecting it, and had only half-way formulated ideas past that. That said, this probably doesn't go in the direction many of you expect it to, but if you've been following my stuff for any amount of time you should know by now I am really bad about doing things in weird ways. Summary was also updated to better reflect the continuation. You've been warned. :)_

_Bargains_

Chapter 1 – A Date with...

**XX**

Kenshin Himura awoke to the sensation that things were not as they should be. The room was his, the bed was his, but everything else was horribly off. It was a sensation that should have bothered him deep down to the very core of his being. Repetition had dulled that.

He sighed. This was the third time this week. With much effort did he pull himself up into a seated position, staring down at his clothes. The wrinkled button-down shirt and jeans were not what he wore to bed last night, of course, but he was past the point of being surprised by this fact.

Rubbing his face with his hands, he tried to pull himself into a better state of consciousness. Nights like these always felt as if he never got any sleep at all.

Pushing himself to the edge of his bed, he pulled his shirt off over his head, not even bothering with the buttons. Throwing the fabric on the floor, he slumped his shoulders and lifted his gaze up to the large mirror over his dresser across the room.

His own reflection stared back, pale and with bags under his eyes indicating he looked as awful as he felt. Reddish-brown hair stuck out in odd directions, a testament of his restless night. A few locks curled over his shoulders, and despite the fact he looked like crap otherwise, he could take some pride in that his physique had not much suffered from these last few months of...well, chaos.

The thought made his lips press into a thin line, and like clockwork, the edges of the mirror darkened. Kenshin gritted his teeth, closing his eyes, and when he opened them, two faces were staring back at him.

The second one grinned with all teeth, his hair taking up a large portion of the reflection, moving like tentacles on an octopus. It looked like him, from the angle of his jaw down to the curve of his cheekbones, but with shark's teeth and eyes like embers of a fire. Never mind the otherworldly features... there was simply something just not _right_ with the way his gaze settled on things. On _him._

"Have fun?" Kenshin asked wryly, leaning forward and resting his arms on his legs. The creature tilted its head at him, then glanced down at his reflection in the mirror. It pondered the reflection, before reaching out and rearranging a piece of Kenshin's hair. Kenshin could feel the ghostly fingers tug at the strands.

"I always have fun," It replied, patting his reflection on the head. Kenshin pressed his lips into a flat line, tolerating the strange gesture of affection.

"Yes, at my expense." Kenshin sighed. What he would not give to just crawl back into bed and sleep the rest of the day.

"Symbiotic relationship," The apparition replied. "The bargain."

"I'm aware," Kenshin interrupted, not letting the creature continue his thoughts. "You don't need to remind me."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to think about it." He sounded like a man defeated, shoulders slumping. "You are tiring. Literally."

The entity pouted in response, and Kenshin made a face. He did not like to see himself pouting, even if it was not him. It looked ridiculous. "Stop that," He muttered.

It huffed, crossing its arms over its chest. "And to think I went out and did you a _favor_ last night."

Oh no.

Kenshin paused in the middle of running a hand over his face, peeking up at his mirror through his fingers. "Oh dear. What did you do?"

The entity smiled brightly, which made dread churn deep in the redhead's belly. "I got you a date!"

"You did _what_?"

"A date, a date!" It echoed, utterly delighted with itself and teleported to hang from the reflection of the ceiling. "You need a social life."

"I want no social life you could offer me," Kenshin said through gritted teeth. Just what had this creature done? Summon some other demonic entity to make his life even more of a hell?

"You need it," The entity repeated, somberness coloring its tone. It was enough to make Kenshin pause, glancing back up at the hanging creature in his mirror. It tilted its head to regard him, most of its hair hanging down and swaying back and forth like a pendulum. "It is a return for what I take from you."

"How the hell is a date supposed to be a favor to me? How does it make up for what you do?"

His words were annoyed, almost angry, and Kenshin glared up at the creature that stared back at him quietly. Suddenly, he was pulled toward the mirror by an invisible force, making him crash against the dresser. His hands braced himself against the top of the lacquered wood, and his nose was inches away from the glass. He could see his wide eyed expression, could see the hair holding his reflection to the glass. Hopping down from the ceiling, the creature stepped forward, lowering his face down beside Kenshin's. Glowing gold stared into wide-eyed violet, and Kenshin was close enough to make out details that had not been there before, like how large this thing's mouth actually was, or that the whites of its eyes were, in fact, black.

"Silly human," It rasped, voice dropping the lilt of Kenshin's own voice for a gravelly tone that sounded wrong on his ears. "Do not question me, for I know more than you could ever hope to. You will take this gesture as it is part of our bargain. I do not break deals, especially not one like ours." It reached around, fingers now shaped like claws gently caressing Kenshin's cheek in the mirror. He could feel the sharp prick of the nails and a texture too rough to be human skin brush down his cheek.

The ghastly touch pulled away once it neared his chin, and he was left holding his breath and staring at the thin cut going down the side of his face. Blood fell, drawing down into heavy drops gathering at his chin. He watched as the creature reached out, capturing the drop on a clawed finger, bringing it to its lips. "A present for you. Mind yourself, human." It took on his voice again, and seemed to look less demonic than it had moments before. He felt the hold on him release, and he quickly pushed himself away from the dresser, stumbling back onto his bed.

The creature with his face watched him passively, hair zigzagging and weaving about him in a manner not unlike one of the default screen savers on a computer. Kenshin stared back, chest heaving slightly. It took him a minute or two to finally find his voice. "All right." He cringed at the way his words cracked, but the creature did not seem to care. "What are the details of this... date?"

Immediately, the smile was back on its face like nothing strange had happened, and likely it its mind, nothing strange _had_ happened. It turned around, putting its hands on its hips. "Saturday, six o'clock. You're to pick her up at her house."

There was much about that sentence that seemed to make Kenshin pause, considering the words. "Her...house?"

"Yes, yes," The entity replied, sounding annoyed. "I wanted something less cliché, but since I cannot yet fully manifest, and your body resists my attempts at possession, I have to obey the order of things in this primitive society."

"...You mean she's not..." Kenshin struggled for words, his brain trying to wrap around the idea of this date, and also ignoring the fact that the creature had tried to fully possess him before. He did not really want to be reminded of _that_ right now. "She's not one of your kind?"

It blinked rapidly, taking on a look that Kenshin knew had gotten himself out of trouble a few times—that sort of innocent, dumb look that he sometimes hid behind in emergency situations. On this creature, though, it looked somewhat... strange. "My kind? No, I don't share. You are mine, and none other will partake in what you have for me. She, too... I do not wish to give up very easily. Such a fascinating creature. So surrounded by death energy, and yet... she is still so bright." It plucked at its bottom lip in thought. "So brilliant, too, solving puzzles like that. Shame she is mortal."

Kenshin stared, not quite sure what it was babbling on about. As much as he did not like being claimed by this creature, he really had no say in it right now. But what of this girl he was talking about? What kind of person was surrounded by death energy but still bright? His first thought was a serial killer who enjoyed killing.

Oh, hell. That really was not too far-fetched of an idea for this thing, either. Most serial killers were really smart, right? Kenshin swallowed down his unease, when the sound of footsteps came up from outside of his room. "Master Himura!" The voice accompanied a heavy pounding on the door, and Kenshin sighed. "Yes?"

The door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman in a modern maid's uniform, her hair piled neatly into a bun. She frowned, tapping her wrist. "Your meeting is in two hours, Sir—oh your face!"

Kenshin blinked, realizing he had forgotten the present his cohabitant had gifted him. Reaching up, he touched the sticky cut as she hurried over to him. "What in the world happened?"

"Um," Kenshin struggled to come up with an excuse, before his expression melted into the one the creature had mimicked not five minutes ago. "I fell."

"Oh, good heavens," His house-maid exasperated, moving past him and into his bathroom. He could hear the water running, and his eyes cut over to the mirror. The entity gave him the most innocent look it could muster.

Bastard.

With another sigh, Kenshin stood up and walked after his maid into the bathroom. "Sorry, Naomi..."

The woman made a noise, pressing a wet washcloth to his face. He let her, gaze looking out the window as she cleaned him up. It always did make him feel about half his age when she doted over him, but he had long since learned he could not deter her in the slightest once she set her mind on something. The fact that she was about an inch taller than him certainly did not help. It sucked being short sometimes.

"This really needs more than just a band-aid, Master Himura..." She stopped when Kenshin shrugged.

"As you said, the meeting is in two hours. I'll cover it up and deal with it later. It would do better than to make them wait."

She sighed. "Very well, then, Sir." She proceeded to bustle about his bathroom, knowing where everything was better than he could ever hope to. She rifled through the first aid cabinet, pulling out a large bandage. As she smoothed it onto his face, he lifted his eyes to the mirror and pursed his lips.

The entity waved at him, hair fanning out around him like a peacock. Kenshin otherwise ignored it, as he had learned to do when people were around. They could not see the creature in the reflections, nor could they hear it speak. For the most part, this thing seemed to want it that way. Sometimes, though, it got bored, and Kenshin suffered for it.

Patting his cheek, Naomi stepped back, dusting her hands off on her apron. "Well, then. I shall see to your breakfast while you get ready. I expect you down in the breakfast hall in half an hour, Master Himura."

"Yes ma'am," Kenshin replied back dutifully as she bustled by him on her way out of his room. The entity's eyes followed her movement, tracking it with unhidden amusement.

"You humans..." It murmured as the door clicked shut. Kenshin said nothing, stripping out of the rest of his clothes and tossing them over his arm. Stalking over, he grabbed up his shirt and proceeded to walk back to the bathroom, tossing his clothes in the hamper on his way by.

He made a point of brushing his teeth with his back to the mirror, but the creature was not deterred, instead playing with his reflection's hair. He could feel the tugs from ethereal fingers, but continued to brush with conviction. Finally, it grabbed all of his hair and yanked, sending him off-balance and nearly cracking his head against the sink. Kenshin made a gargled noise around his toothbrush, pulling himself up from the floor and glared at the creature in his mirror. It arched a brow, crossing its arms.

He spat out his toothpaste. "What?"

"We were not done discussing the details of your date," It replied as if it were obvious. "Your servant is quite rude to interrupt."

"You know she can't hear you," Kenshin replied, rinsing out his mouth.

"Excuses." It waved a hand, ignoring his logic and moved on. "I have only bargained for one date. It will be up to you to see to it she wants another. The females of your species are ridiculously fickle, however she seems like your type."

"My type?" Kenshin deadpanned, knowing whatever the creature was thinking, it was likely not a compliment.

It grinned, and there was a glimmer of something dark within its smile. "She willingly bargained with me. Just like you."

Kenshin froze, one hand on the door to his shower. True, he had bargained with this creature, and now was in the position he was in, but the alternative have been quite grim. What could this woman have wanted in exchange for a date at this creature's whim? What was so important that she would dare deal with this entity? Although he did not voice the thought, it heard it anyway, eyes crinkling at the corners as its smile widened.

"A bone."

What the hell?

Not even able to dignify that with a response, Kenshin stepped into his shower, angrily shutting the door behind him. Laughter echoed in the bathroom that only he could hear.

**XX**

**AN: **_OK, now that you're all probably going 'what the hell'... are you still with me is the question. The ideas I had for this thing kinda throws everything up in the air, but hopefully I haven't scared you off. I'm sorry the creature/Death is not actually Kenshin, but I had the idea sitting in my head since I wrote up the prologue/one-shot. I also apologize for the length, for it is quite short. _

_Still interested in your thoughts, likes and dislikes, as always. _

_-Rainfelt_


	3. Chapter 2 - Preconceived Notions

**AN:** A handful of you pointed out some Very Important Things in the last chapter (caseyedith and zero25, in particular). I am fairly careful on how I write things...so I love to hear you point such things out, because it means you're paying attention. (I absolutely _adore_ whenever someone catches one of the hints I drop in my stories.)

Anyway, now that we're all set up... these chapters should be a bit longer. Thanks guys for your feedback. I really, really do appreciate it.

**Warnings:** I do not have a business degree. I apologize to any entrepreneurs or capitalists I offend with my lack of knowledge of the intricacies of corporations.

_Bargains_

Chapter 2: Preconceived Notions

**XX**

"Wait, what do you _mean_ you have Saturday plans? You never have Saturday plans!"

Kaoru said nothing, taking great interest in the texture of her deli sandwich. Across the table, Megumi was staring at her as if she had grown a second head. Kaoru shifted uneasily, taking a sip from her water. "Well... sometimes I do."

"Yeah, with me..." Megumi trailed off, her jaw dropping. "It's a guy, isn't it?"

"No!" Kaoru's protest was a little too quick, and she looked a little too uneasy about the situation. Especially as she watched her friend's ruby red lips curve upward into a devious smile.

"It's _so_ a guy."

"No, really. It's not. It's just something I don't want to talk about," Kaoru insisted, flustered. It was one thing to have a date. It was another thing to have a date with ...well, _him._ And there was absolutely no way Kaoru was going to let this go any further. She could not even begin to explain to Megumi the details, or even lie her way through them.

"So... what's he like?"

"Megumi, I swear to god it is not a date." She was proud of how sure of herself she sounded. Too bad her friend was not fooled.

"Hm... let me see. Why would you not tell me? Either you're embarrassed by him... or you're scared I'll try to steal him away." She waggled her eyebrows.

Kaoru wished she _would_ steal him away. Death just had to be fascinated with her and not a doctor of internal medicine. Stabbing her fork into her potato salad, she sighed. "It really isn't like that, Meg. It's just... something I have to do."

"Take condoms, just in case."

"_MEGUMI!"_

**XX**

"Mr. Himura?"

Kenshin blinked a few times, his expression dazed as he glanced up in question. The meeting had come to a soft pause, and he realized they had been waiting for input. Awkwardly, he sat up straighter, forcing his mind into a state to recall just what he was supposed to be doing. Oh, right. Shaking his head, he offered a muted apology, smiling and turning his attention to the topic at hand.

Or at least, he tried to. The last few months had been nothing but wear and tear on his mind. He always woke up exhausted, and he knew it was because of his new leech and whatever it did when he slept. Thankfully, the board could function without him at full capacity, but it was still not a good thing to have their non-executive chair out of commission for such a long stretch; he frankly had no idea how much longer he could keep going like this. More than once he had dozed off during an evaluation, meeting, or something else important, and it was starting to reflect poorly on him. His board was forgiving, but the public less so. And while he was not the CEO, he still had a job to do.

Brushing back his bangs, his eyes dropped to the proposal before him. "Can this be postponed until she returns?"

"Yes, sir. It can."

He nodded lightly, straightening the papers. "Then I feel this is a decision best to be made after we have her input. I realize her being out of the country is inconvenient, but please try to bear with it a bit longer." Of course, if he was bad, then _she_ was worse. What had she been thinking, disappearing like that? At least he could be contacted and present, even if his brain processed things at about the speed of 3G. And now he was having to step in and fill her shoes while she was unreachable, and everyone _knew_ that was a disaster waiting to happen.

When he managed to pull his mind from his musings once again, he realized he was waiting for the elevator. He tried to remember the rest of the meeting, but all that greeted his weary memory was a stack of papers, an irritation to parties who were slacking on their responsibilities and the soft pressure against the back of his head that felt like something was there that did not belong.

He heard the echo of a giggle as he stepped into the elevator and scowled, pinching the bridge of his nose. The person beside him stepped in as well, pressing the button for the lobby. "Himura-_san._"

Aoshi Shinomori often reverted back to his native tongue when he wished to speak to Kenshin about something he did not want anyone else overhearing. Kenshin grimaced, peering up at the much taller man through slitted eyes. Although he was not full Japanese, he knew the language well. He made a questioning noise.

"_Have you seen a doctor yet for your insomnia?"_ Because that was how he had explained it when asked about the heavy rings under his eyes, his paler complexion, and lack of focus. A lack of sleep sounded more feasible than, 'I sleep and wake up exhausted.' Still pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache forming, he shook his head lightly.

Aoshi said nothing, likely in quiet thought. He was a very calculating man and truthfully, if the family thing were not an issue, Kenshin would much prefer him as his CEO. Aoshi was efficient and brilliant, and Kenshin could only wish he had an iota of the man's skill.

"_What happened to your face?"_ There was genuine curiosity in his voice.

The smaller man closed his eyes again. _"I fell and cut it on the dresser." _Aoshi was silent again, and idly Kenshin brushed a finger over the bandage, making sure it was still firmly attached to his cheek. He had already had to replace it once before the meeting—noticing it had bled through. Something that shallow should not have continued to bleed. Of course, it was not an ordinary cut, either.

They continued to ride the elevator down, with people coming and going between the floors. Just when he thought he would get to the lobby without anymore inquiries, Aoshi spoke again. _"I cannot help but notice your problems started after you went missing for a week."_

Kenshin went very still, and he could feel the pressure in the back of his head lean to one side, as if _it_ was curious in Aoshi's speculations. Realizing the other man was waiting for him to respond, Kenshin sighed and dropped his hand from his face. Tired eyes looked up at the taller man. _"Yes, they did."_

"_I see." _The unspoken question hung there after... _'What really happened?'_

The elevator came to a stop with a ding, opening to the marbled floors of the lobby. Kenshin bowed his head. "Please excuse me, Aoshi. I will have Ms. Misao contact you later about scheduling the quarterly performance evaluations."

The other man hummed softly in acknowledgment, letting his earlier question drop. He slipped back into English with practiced ease. "Perhaps you should take the weekend to rest. The details can be laid out next week. We are ahead of schedule, after all."

Kenshin nodded stiffly. "I'll consider it."

If he survived his date with the assumed sociopathic serial killer, that was.

Laughter pressed against the insides of his ears at the thought. Sick bastard.

**XX**

The remainder of the week came and went with no real interaction from Death. Kaoru only noticed in passing, largely because a couple of cases had been dropped on her in a rush. It was really of little surprise he did not show. There were certain types of cases he seemed drawn to, and she had been haunted by him enough to know these would not be interesting to him.

She ended up having to work very late Friday night, to the point that she slept most of Saturday morning. Twisted up in her bedsheets, she was completely unaware of a certain presence watching her.

**XX**

The remainder of Kenshin's week came and went with a lot of half-awake dazes and copious amounts of coffee. Strong coffee. By the time Friday night rolled around, he was frustrated and beyond tired, as his parasite had not allowed him one good night of sleep since their talk in his bedroom. On top of that, it had been especially persistent in being present in his conscious. Usually it hovered in the background. This week, it was trying to claw out of his eye sockets so that it could rearrange the pattern on Mr. Shinomori's tie.

To top it all off, it had refused to give him more details about his date. That, of course, only made him more worried. Through sleep deprivation, it had not occurred to him it may have been the intention of the creature to purposely rattle him by withholding information.

By the time dusk fell, he was pulling clothes from his body with feeble strength and no grace. He hit the mattress of his bed face-first and was out like a light.

Sitting on the reflection of his dresser in the mirror the creature with his face made itself comfortable, watching him with bright golden eyes. It would not do well to exhaust its host too far, and so it allowed Kenshin true rest that night.

It was mid-afternoon on Saturday when it finally got bored of letting Kenshin sleep. Really! How much sleep did these creatures truly need? Never mind it had been days since it allowed its host true rest. Pressing fingers against the mirror, it glanced over at the clock on the dresser. Perhaps a quick outing was in order before rousing the host.

**XX**

There were perks to living alone, like being able to wander around in next to nothing, and no one could say a thing. Not that Kaoru necessarily made a habit of such a thing, but she had a date in two hours, had just finished showering, and had yet to decide what to wear. A matching bra and panty set was at least out of the way, but beyond that she was still deciding. Also, she was thirsty, and her refrigerator was not in her bedroom. Hence, why she was in the kitchen opening the refrigerator door.

"Teal is a wonderful color."

Kaoru gave a small shriek and whirled around, bottle of water in her hand and heart hammering in her chest. Her brain recognized the voice a moment later, but it did nothing to drop her heart rate. She stared at the thing that did not belong in her apartment, currently crouched in front of her fish aquarium, watching its residents with strange interest. His hair was unrolled behind him like the train of a wedding dress, taking up a large portion of her living room. It was twitching.

She stared at him, before realizing what he said. Glancing down at herself, and the undergarments of the aforementioned color, a brilliant blush spread across her neck and face as she crossed her arms over her chest and kicked the refrigerator door shut. "You said six!" She sputtered angrily.

Wide, glowing eyes looked over to her briefly, before returning to the fish. "Yes."

"Then why are you here?!" Try as she might, her angriest glare seemed to not faze him. A finger came up to hover in front of the tank, and she watched her fish all swim over to it, following his finger as he moved it around in slow circles. As an afterthought, she snapped, "Stop hypnotizing my fish, damnit!"

He drew up from his crouch in a fluid motion that was not human in the slightest, way too boneless. It made her cringe, and his lips pulled back into a strange grin. "Making sure you did not abandon the bargain."

Her anger ebbed away into irritation, and she made an indignant noise, arms still covering her chest. "I don't back out of promises. Now will you turn around, already?"

If possible, the smile widened, and he tilted his head to the side. "Why?"

"Because I would like the privacy you're denying me!" She snapped back, flustered.

His hair came to life at her declaration, pulling up to drape over his shoulders like a cloak, almost mocking her lack of dress. "Modesty? From you? You dissect your own kind on a metal table, and none of them wear clothes."

"That's different," She said. "They're..." Her breath caught in a way that suggested she was catching herself from finishing her sentence.

She blinked once, and he was suddenly closer to her, standing at the divide from her kitchen to her living room. There was an edge to his voice as he pressed, "Say it."

Her eyes narrowed, and she ground her teeth together. "Stop baiting me, Death."

He giggled. "You were going to say it on your own. Just say it. They're _dead_."

Modesty forgotten, she stomped past him toward her bedroom. He turned his body to face her as she walked by, watching her like a hawk. "You're awful."

He said nothing, smiling and hugging his hair-cloak to his form. She slammed the door shut to her bedroom, and her muffled voice called out, "Come back at _six!"_

Twisting around, he moved back to her aquarium, crouching in front of it. Pressing a finger to the glass, he watched with childlike delight as the fish once again began to follow his finger across the glass.

The door whipped open, and Kaoru stuck her head out. "Leave my fish _alone!_"

**XX**

Kenshin awoke to find it was after four in the afternoon. He groggily stared at the clock, waiting for his mental processes to chug into motion. Once his brain actually recognized the significance of the time, he was surprised. He had been in bed almost twenty hours! Why had Naomi not tried to wake him up? He rolled off of his stomach, then noted the t-shirt and jeans he had _not_ worn to bed and sighed. Of course.

But wait, he actually felt better than he had in weeks. Plucking at the material of his shirt in idly thought, he lifted his gaze to the mirror.

It was sitting there on the edge of his bed's reflection, weaving its hair into a cat's cradle. Rolling its neck, it shifted its gaze to him. "Sleep well, host?"

Kenshin nodded tentatively, not quite sure what to make of the situation. While he had no idea exactly _what_ happened when he was asleep, he knew that waking up in strange clothes was an indication that his new parasite had been out doing something. And yet... he did not feel nearly as tired as he had been feeling.

Feeling his confusion, or perhaps reading the thoughts, it smiled at him, a tendril of hair lightly patting his cheek. "I had to perform a small task, but the rest of the sleep was yours to rest."

"Yes, but..." Kenshin trailed off briefly when he saw the hair brush move off of his night stand. He could see a tendril holding it in the mirror and paused as the brush began to run through his hair. He winced, because it was not exactly the most gentle of strokes—and yet the creature seemed to be most delighted in performing the task. In the reflection, it stood on the bed behind Kenshin, all teeth and wide-eyed pleasure in brushing through Kenshin's bed hair.

It might have been endearing on an objective level—at least until the brush caught a snag and yanked. Hard. Kenshin yelped, clutching at his head. "That hurts!"

"Of course it does," It replied matter-of-factly. "No pain, no gain, as your kind says."

"There is nothing to gain from you ripping my hair out!" Kenshin said indignantly, pulling away from the creature and stumbling out of bed. It huffed, tossing the brush back onto the dresser. Kenshin scowled, rubbing his skull gingerly, and muttered something about Naomi not waking him up.

The creature paused in thought. "Oh, the maid. She is still likely dealing with the distraction. You needed true rest, and she adheres too much to your kind's poor understanding of time. Had I not provided sufficient distraction, she would have disrupted your recovery."

Kenshin paused, shirt hanging on his arms from where he was pulling it off his head. "Wait. What distraction?"

It twirled on his bed, hair spinning around like ribbons tied to a pole. "I love plumbing. It is so easy to break, and causes panic so readily."

Kenshin's shoulders slumped in a mixture of resignation and exasperation. "You flooded part of the house so I could sleep?"

It nodded happily. "Just the laundry room. I made sure only the whites were down there. She was finished with the others."

"Why the whites?"

"I discriminate."

**XX**

It was approaching six, and he was only hoping the creature knew where it was going. It would not give him an address, simply telling him, "Turn here" or, "Turn there." And once or twice it was, "Oh...you should have turned back there. Why didn't you?" Despite the fact it had not told him to do so.

Kenshin sighed, rolling his shoulders. At least the rest had taken some of the edge off of his very thin patience and tried sanity. However, there was still the pressure in his head of his parasite, a presence always lurking and listening, and sometimes it tap-danced on his cerebrum.

He had managed to glean from it the name of his date, "Kaoru." It surprised him—the name was Japanese. True, there was a high percentage of Asian-descent in the city, he really had not expected that; when prompted for a description, the creature only prattled on about death energy, and the color teal.

So, in short, he had nothing beyond her name and that she was presumably Japanese.

Finally, after being instructed to turn down a street, he came upon a series of apartment complexes that had been recently constructed. They were all very nice, in a prime location in the city. _'Oh, that one. Yes, yes. The one with the inefficient coin collector.'_

His eyes skimmed the area, before landing on the water fountain in front of one of the complexes. '_Really? The water fountain?'_

_'Is my description incorrect?'_

_'I suppose not.' _He pulled his car up to the curb, killing the engine. The time read just a few minutes before six. Before he could prompt on where he was supposed to meet this Kaoru, it decided to bounce on his cerebellum in delight. The result was his body jerking for a moment, before he mentally wrestled with it for control of his motor functions again.

The creature did not give him much of a fight, thoroughly distracted by something else. He caught its thoughts just as he calmed his own rattled nerves, disturbed by the fact it had managed to make him lose control of his body—even for just a moment. _'Oh, oh. There she is! There, there!'_

Exhaling slowly, Kenshin opened the door and got out of his car, smoothing a hand over his button-down shirt. Lifting his gaze, he scanned the area for wherever 'she' might be. The pressure in his mind made him spin his head to the left, and caught sight of a figure sitting on the in the small courtyard. She was reading from a smart phone, her profile obscured from view, but the pleased sensation that wafted up from his recesses pretty much told him she was his date.

She lifted her gaze after a moment, skimming the area. Her eyes fell on him, and he saw her brows lift in surprise. She put away the device and stood, smoothing out her clothes. She was, at least, cute. Actually, he really liked how she looked. She had not bothered for much makeup or heavy jewelry. Her clothing was flattering, but with an edge of practicality. Her black slacks were well-tailored, and the blue and black shirt hugged her frame very nicely. She wore low heels, and he realized he was delighted to know she _was not taller than him_.

Maybe there was a God! The presence in the back of his mind teetered, and he inwardly sighed. If there was a God, it hated him.

He lifted a hand in greeting as she approached, though he knew she was aware he was her date. After all, the thing shared _his_ face.

She came to a stop in front of him, a hand resting on her purse hanging from her shoulder. One brow of hers was arched high in a manner that suggested something about this meeting seemed quite dubious to her. He opened his mouth to introduce himself when she spoke first. "Huh. I didn't think you were capable of looking human. I'm impressed."

He choked on his words as high-pitched, insane laughter rang in his ears.

Son of a... She thought...

The creature pressed against his mind, tinged with unholy glee. _'Oh yes... I neglected to mention she believes you and I are the same entity!'_

Not only was it absolutely horrifying to be compared to that... _thing_, it also meant she had accepted this bargain assuming _it_ was who she would be dating. Dear god, she really was insane!

**XX**

**AN: **_I feel like I'm writing for a comedy instead of a supernatural drama. It's just entirely too much fun torturing Kenshin. And I actually take delight in writing for the creature, too. I haven't gotten to write for crazy in a while. Wonder if I should change the genre to humor..._

_I have a tumblr now—for those of you who have not found me on there (some of you sneaky folk already have). I post excerpts and snippets from various stories I am work on, as well as some artwork and other things—most of it is RK related. Feel free to drop by. The link is in my profile._

_Thanks for all your feedback so far, and don't forget to hit that review button! It's what I thrive on!_

_Rain_


	4. Chapter 3 - And Insanity Makes Three

**AN: **_Oh hey, I live. I also forced this chapter out. It is not very up to par with the previous, or so I feel._

**Warnings:** Some language. Kenshin's a punching bag.

_Bargains _  
Chapter 3: And Insanity Makes Three

**XX**

Things had gone quite strangely so far.

Kaoru stared out the window as the vehicle moved, reflecting back over the last few minutes in silence. Conversation had been pretty much nonexistent, allowing her some time to think.

She had been able to pick him out fairly easily, and it was the first time she could say someone looked familiar and unfamiliar all at the same time. Gone was the strange hair that seemed to have a life of its own. His skin had a lively color, and his eyes were no longer gold. In fact, when she got close enough, they seemed to be a muted sort of blue that reminded her of lavender. His clothes were pressed and flattering, and he had carried himself in a manner that was almost... well, _bumbling_ compared to what she was used to. Death appeared to her as a crazy, but collected entity, with an awareness of the world around it that conveyed itself in a way that she could only describe as omniscient.

This guy almost tripped on the sidewalk as he got back into his—admittedly very nice—car.

He stumbled over his words, too. What was it he had said when she walked up? The exact phrasing escaped her, quite possibly because of the sincere amount of stuttering and abbreviated speech, but essentially it involved him telling her, 'It's not like that' and 'I'll explain in the car.'

He had yet to say anything though, and idly she noted the white-knuckle grip he had on the steering wheel. His jaw was set, and he was staring straight ahead with an expression that was simultaneously comical and terrifying—the latter largely because he was behind the wheel and looked like he might be considering ramming the car into a wall.

Briefly, she pondered just what sort of state one's body would be in at autopsy, before she forced herself to not mentally dissect her own remains in a hypothetical death.

Finally, after a sufficient amount of awkward silence, she forced the conversation open. He clearly was not going to make the first move, and she was very confused and uncomfortable with this strange characterization from Death. It was too human. Too natural. It was creepy.

"Okay, what were you going to explain? I understand why you would want to appear human, though everything else about this situation escapes me." She studied his profile, watching the way the muscles in his face moved in response to her inquiry. His eyes flickered over to her, brow furrowing, before he glanced back at the road.

"Do you like Lebanese food?"

She blinked. "Um. Sure? That doesn't answer my question, though."

"I know, but I wanted to ask before we got too far into the drive. Um..." He trailed off then, and Kaoru had to admit the confused puppy expression he had was cute. In an exasperating, specially-challenged sort of way. She waited patiently, pursing her lips.

He caught her expression and looked abashed, glancing away quickly. "Ah... sorry. I just... well. I think there have been a few misunderstandings about tonight."

She gave him an arched brow as a response. He spared her a brief look again, catching the motion. "You see, um. I'm not... _it_."

He stopped at a red light, looking at her to see her reaction.

She blinked a few times. "It?"

"You know... the thing that looks like me—ow!" He grimaced, pressing two fingers to his temple, and his expression was incredibly irritable, like his pain was the result of something very stupid and inconvenient.

Slowly, Kaoru turned his words over in her mind, pondering just what he was getting at. This was all too strange. Here Death was, acting and looking different, and not making any sense. In fact, the man next to her was like a completely different person...

Oh hell.

**XX**

As the light turned green Kenshin glanced over at her once more through the stars he was seeing as a result to having his parasite try to punch his eyes out of his skull at being called a 'thing'.

She had a look of horror on her face and he was somewhat irked that she seemed to find the idea of him not being the entity was so atrocious.

Really, his self esteem was soaring.

High pitched, off-kilter laughter rang in his ears, and he was growing increasingly annoyed that it found this situation so damned funny. The laughter only increased in intensity, thrumming in his head and fueled by his frustration. Flexing his fingers on the wheel, he focused his gaze back to the road just in time to see the car in front of him come to a stop. He hit the brakes hard, sending his passenger scrambling to grab her seat belt in surprise.

That seemed to knock her out of her stupor.

"What do you _mean_ you're not _it?_" She finally found her voice, and the accusatory tone made him feel like he was being punished. Why, oh why did the world see fit to blame him for everything? He sagged into the cushion of his seat a little, trying to skulk away from the apparently angry and very insane woman in his passenger seat.

_'Isn't she wonderful? She has such radiant anger!'_

Kenshin was pointedly ignoring his parasite, who was prattling on about her like she was amazing and not insane. He swallowed, eyes flickering over to her. "Look, I don't know what it told you, or what you were expecting, but the only thing that thing has in common with me is that it's stolen my face."

_'Not true! We have the same taste in women!'_

_'We do _not._' _Kenshin was quite certain of that.

His crazy blind date was beside herself. "But...I ...wait. No, that just... it doesn't make sense." She seemed to not know what do with her hands, finally gripping the fabric of her pants tightly. "You're not Kenshin, then?"

He blinked. Dear god, what had this thing been telling her? "I _am_ Kenshin."

There was a giggle only he could hear as she frowned. "But you just said you're not..."

"IT IS NOT KENSHIN!" Kenshin all but screeched, foot slamming on the brake pedal and horns blowing behind him. Kaoru cried out in surprise, eyes squeezing shut in anticipation of her mentally unstable date causing an accident. Somehow, no one managed to rear-end him on the street, and were now swerving around him, still honking and people yelling.

Kaoru had a hand pressed to her chest and she was as pale as a sheet. Kenshin stared at her, nostrils flaring and face flushed, his breath escaping him in pants. "_I_ am Kenshin. That thing is not. It is not me, and it leads you to believe things that are not true. So whatever you thought up until this point, disregard it. Okay?"

She stared back at him, looking like a frightened animal. Dear god, ten minutes in and he had absolutely terrified her. Never mind she was terrifying to him, because she had seemed _okay_ with everything up until this point. Now that the truths were coming out she seemed to be taking it horribly.

He felt his ego take another hit at that.

Finally getting his car back into motion, wincing as he cut someone off in the process, he remained silent. She did not speak, either, staring at the dashboard, her fingers still pressed over her heart. He had stunned her into silence.

Even _it_ seemed to be quiet, though he could tell it was not out of any somber emotion. Although it was not projecting any thoughts, the feeling of intense amusement still rained down on his conscious, making him weary. They had not even made it to the restaurant and he already wanted to go home.

Finally, she spoke. "So... we've never met."

"No. I don't know who you are."

"And you agreed to this despite that?"

Kenshin grimaced. "I was not really given a choice in the matter."

"Thanks."

He winced at her flat tone.

Silence overtook the car once again, and he realized he was approaching their destination. Conversation would be awkward in public, oh screw that. Conversation was awkward, period. She stared out the window, and he almost felt bad about yelling at her. Almost, because she was still crazy. And apparently his parasite liked the crazy.

"So why did you agree?" He was not quite sure why he asked. It had already told him she bargained over a bone, and it did not outright lie about things. Bend truths, but not lie. Still, he found himself curious of her answer.

She looked over at him, and to his surprise, her expression was pensive. Finally, she glanced down at her hands. "He had something I wanted."

"Which was...?" No way was Kenshin going to let on he knew it was over a bone. Let her admit it herself that she was a psychopathic, devil-worshiping taxidermist.

She shook her head, eyes never leaving his. "Evidence for a case. Without it the suspect has a high chance of walking free. Now, he might be convicted of murder."

Kenshin had just put the car into park when he realized just what she was saying. Hand still on the gearshift, he met her gaze. Bones... suspect... murder. Oh. _Ohhhh_. He did not know the details, but suddenly she was seeming a little less insane than what his imagination had supplied. "Oh. That is... much different than I was expecting."

Her eyes narrowed. "Just what did you expect?"

Kenshin shrugged, unbuckling his seat belt. "Honestly, anyone who agrees to a date with that thing has to be pretty loopy or desperate."

His only warning was the laughter in the back of his head before Kaoru's fist met his face.

**XX**

He was not sure why she was still here. His face throbbed something awful, and he knew he had a bruise forming where that tiny fist of hers had hit his cheek. He was lucky his head had been turned, because otherwise she would have broken his nose. Instead, it just hurt like hell.

She sat across from him, arms crossed over her chest and glaring hotly at her menu. The candle between them was his only barrier from her wrath, and if needed he was prepared to use it to defend his life.

Apparently, instead of being a _normal_ woman and just ditching him after punching him, she insisted he was going to go through with this date because he owed her dinner by now. In his head, the parasite was giggling gleefully, eating up the exchange like a television drama.

Reaching up, he gingerly touched his cheek, and thought he saw her eyes narrow. He winced and glanced down at his menu. Life sucked right now.

"Good evening. My name is Albert and I'll be your server tonight. May I start you off with something to drink and an appetizer?"

Alcohol sounded great. Eyes flickering over the spirits menu, Kenshin waited for Kaoru to order first. She must have been on the same page, because she crisply requested a Riesling. He felt the server's eyes fall on him and he glanced up, offering a wan smile. "Your finest Merlot, please." Knowing his luck it would be dry. Like his love life. "And an order of your stuffed grape leaves, please." As if he would try pronouncing the name on the menu.

"Right away, Sir." The server waltzed off.

The voice in the back of his head decided to pipe up after being quiet for a solid three minutes. _'Oh, but the Kibbeh.'_

Kenshin glanced at the description, and wrinkled his nose upon reading 'steak tartare.' _'It's __**raw**_**.' **

_'I know! It's delectable. Land sushi.'_

_'Stop, please. Just... stop.'_

_'I bet she eats it. Ask her.'_

_'I am pretty sure she does not want to talk to me right now.' _Kenshin sighed softly, not even wanting to look up at her.

_'Then let me talk to her!'_

_'Ugh, no. That's a disaster waiting to happen.'_

_'Waiting? You have already arrived.'_

Kenshin scowled. Reaching up, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Through gritted teeth, he said, "It wants to know if you eat kibbeh."

Kaoru had been staring at her menu when she looked up at Kenshin. Her eyes narrowed and he found he wanted to shrink under her scrutiny. "I have never tried it. He speaks to you?"

Kenshin swallowed uneasily, fingers toying with the edge of the tablecloth. "Ah... yes. At least, I can hear it in my head."

"So he's possessed you."

He did not like her tone. Not one bit. However, he gave a half shrug anyway. "Something like that. It's... complicated. Right now, it is a voice in my head. And sometimes, it can take on my appearance."

"You're not schizophrenic, right?" She arched a brow.

"You've seen it, too." Kenshin gave her a strained smile.

She went quiet. Silence reigned between them for a long moment. The server brought their drinks. Their orders were placed. Finally, once they were alone again, Kaoru looked up at him. "Why would Death possess a mortal?"

There was another moment of silence as Kenshin stared at her. Slowly, he raised one brow, giving her a dubious look. "Who said anything about Death?"

There was a soft, quiet giggle echoing in his mind and Kenshin gritted his teeth as Kaoru spoke again. "The thing that looks like you and is in your head. Death."

"Oh, hell." Kenshin sighed, grabbing his wine glass and tipping back most of the contents. He coughed once, placing the glass back on the table with very little grace. "I don't know what you have seen but I can promise you, this thing is _not_ Death."

Leveling her with a look, he leaned in and said quietly, "Bargaining with Death would have been much, _much_ safer."

**XX**

The remainder of dinner was spent with as little social interaction between Kaoru and Kenshin as was feasibly possible. Kenshin assumed Kaoru had crowned him insane and well, he had done that from the start so they were fair and even. The only real difference was that he was the only one between them semi-possessed, and the only thing that really made him feel better was that she had seen _it, _too.

Actually, that was incredibly reassuring. Up until this point, no one else to Kenshin's knowledge had seen this creature. Sure, strange things happened that it took credit for, but Kenshin had suspected if he was truly going mad then his mind might just be conjuring up explanations for the strange events. It seemed so far-fetched though, unless you were not Kenshin. To anyone else, being insane sounded much more likely than being possessed by a creature you made an impromptu bargain with because you were left with _no choice._

He blinked out of his thoughts when the server brought back his card and the receipt. "Thank you, Mr. Himura," Albert said, nodding and smiling to both of them before sauntering off.

They were both quiet on the way home, too. Kenshin spoke long enough to explain he would drive her home, because anything else beyond this point would just be painful on both their parts. He was largely ignoring the rant going on in the back of his head about how they could be out at a goth club because _latex_.

He was a little too high profile for that. And old. And tired.

However, he was not too tired to be startled when he looked in his rear view mirror to see a yellow-eyed, grinning version of himself plastered to the other side of the mirror, watching him like a child at a candy store. "Stop that!" Kenshin hissed, causing Kaoru to jump out of her thoughts. She whipped her head over to him, then glanced at the mirror.

"What is it?" She asked quietly.

Kenshin shook his head, not realizing he had spoken aloud. "It's just... being itself. Can you see it?"

He pointed to the mirror, and she leaned over to look at it. Slowly, Kaoru shook her head. "Nothing there but us."

Kenshin eased his foot off the break as the light turned green. "How does it normally appear to you, then? If not through mirrors?"

Kaoru was quiet for a moment, noting that her apartment complex was coming into view. "He almost always appears at night, in clothes that look slept in, and semi-transparent.

Kenshin went very quiet, staring at the road with a heavy intensity. He almost missed her stop, hitting the brakes hard. It was... manifesting while he was asleep. It took his face and borrowed his clothes... and was going around looking like him while he slept. Was that why he never felt rested?

Thinking Kenshin was not going to say goodbye, Kaoru grabbed her purse, unbuckling her seat belt. "Thanks for the ride home. Good night, Kenshin."

"Wait." He grabbed her by the arm, halting her escape and winced when she went stiff at the contact. Slowly, he let his fingers slip away. "Look, just... be careful. Don't... don't make any more bargains with it, okay? It isn't safe."

She looked at him, then gave him a thin, wry smile. "I'll keep it in mind. I would not want to get trapped into marrying you or something."

He winced again. "Ouch."

"Good night, Kenshin." She shut the door a little more quickly than she wanted to, but he did not need to see that to know she was certainly unhappy with the night's events.

He sighed. This was a horrible, stupid night.

_'Feisty. I can't wait to do this again.'_

_'We are not _**ever**_ doing this again.'_

It cackled loudly in his ears. Kenshin decided that he was dreading going to sleep.

**XX**

Kaoru scowled as she shut the door behind her. She was not sure what she had been expecting out of all of this. She had not even set her expectations that high, considering she knew she was going out on a date with Death.

Or she had _thought_ that was the case. Clearly, she had been entirely wrong. Instead, she ended up with a man who had no verbal filter and was possessed by a creature that had been pretending to be Death while communicating with her. That was much less impressive, and she was a little disturbed that she was bothered by this turn of events.

Pulling out her phone, she switched it off of silent. There was a text message from Megumi asking how her date was going. No surprise she knew, Kaoru could not lie her way out of a paper bag.

Too frustrated to type, Kaoru simply called her friend back.

"_Hey! That was quicker than I expected. I take it that means you did not go back to his place?"_

"Ugh, I would _never_, in a million _years_ go back to his place," Kaoru said heatedly.

"_Whoa, that bad? Was he a creeper?"_

"In the mentally insane way. Also needs to learn to never open his mouth. Ever. Just... you know? I don't even want to talk about it. I just want to swear off men."

"_Fair enough." _She could hear Megumi chuckling. _"What's his name, anyway? So, you know, I can avoid the crazy. Who knows, maybe I've dated him before. I've met a few insane ones."_

"I'm sure you would have told me about this one," Kaoru muttered. "His name was Kenshin...uh...Himura. Kenshin Himura. Yeah, that's it."

There was silence on the other end, and Kaoru frowned. Oh god, maybe Megumi _had _dated him. "Meg...?"

"_Kaoru. You're joking, right?"_

Oh hell. "No... why? You know him?"

"_Know him? Oh my god, Kaoru. _You_ should know him. He's the chairman of MKR Incorporated, the company that built the wing you work in. He's practically the reason you have a job."_

And suddenly, Kaoru was wishing she had not made that snappy marriage comment.

**XX**

**AN:** _Just remember, folks. Kenshin's nerves are fried._

_Apologies for the slow updates on all my stuff. Been a bit of a struggle to write lately, outside of the handful of drabbles I've tossed up on tumblr._

_Thanks, as always, for your encouragement. _

_Rain._


End file.
